Abstract:
Aflatoxins are potent hepatotoxic and carcinogenic secondary metabolites produced by
toxigenic fungi. The present study investigated the protective effect of methanolic leaf extracts
of Monanthotaxis caffra (MLEMC) against aflatoxin B1-induced toxicity in male Sprague-Dawley
rats. The rats were randomly divided into 6 groups of 8 animals each. Five groups were
administered orally for seven days with three different concentrations of MLEMC (100 mg/kg,
200 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg), curcumin (10 mg/kg) or vehicle (25% propylene glycol). The
following day, these groups were administered 1 mg/kg b.w. of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). The
experiment was terminated three days after administration of AFB1. Group 6 represented
untreated healthy control. Serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase,
alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, creatinine and liver histopathology were
evaluated. Methanolic leaf extracts of M. caffra decreased the levels of aspartate aminotransferase,
alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase and creatinine in the sera of rats as compared
with the AFB1 intoxicated group. Co-administration of MLEMC improved the histological
characteristics of the hepatocytes in contrast to the AFB1 treated group, which had mild to
severe hepatocellular injuries including bile duct proliferation, bile duct hyperplasia,
lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate and fibrosis. Extracts of M. caffra were beneficial in mitigating the
hepatotoxic effects of AFB1 in rats by reducing the levels of liver enzymes and preventing
hepatic injury.
